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Short term child care

The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL) offers you help with child care. The League’s child care service is meant to meet temporary and short term needs for child care assistance, around the clock, also on weekends.

The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare has a pool of babysitters. They are trained and suitable to work with children. A typical babysitter is a student under 20 years of age. In addition to the initial training, MLL also provides advanced training, supervision and counseling to babysitters on a regular basis. Qualified babysitters hold a valid license issued by MLL.

Short term child care service is available for example when

  • a parent is on a business trip, in a meeting, or studying
  • parents need a break for hobbies or to spend some time together
  • the child’s permanent caregiver is ill

One babysitter can take care of maximum 4 children at a time.

Babysitters are to be paid in cash after finishing their work, according to the nearest half-hour. Pay recommendation of MLL’s child care is 11 euros per hour in Uusimaa and 10 euros per hour in rest of the country. The minimum payment is two hours. Wages are to be paid for the hours that were booked, even if the family arrives home earlier.

Sunday working is regulated under section 20 of the Working Hours Act (Työaikalaki). For Sunday work, families must pay babysitters a 100 % supplement, i.e. 22 euros per hour in Uusimaa and 18 euros per hour in rest of the country. This higher rate is also payable on religious holidays, the May Day holiday and Finnish Independence Day.

In connection with the payment, the babysitter will receive a printed payment slip.

Households that employ people or pay others compensation for work must report the details of paid wages into the Incomes Register. The information must be reported after each payment transaction no later than on the 5th day of the calendar month following the payment month. You can ask information and advice from Tax Administration’s pages (link below).

You can select the pension insurance company at the earnings register. The pension insurance company sends the invoice. The family will be charged a total TyEL fee of 26,20% (in 2024 26,12%) of the salary.

  • If the payment for one specific babysitter is not more than 68,57€ (gross) per calendar month, the family is not obligated to pay the employer’s pension fee.
  • If the monthly payment is more than 68,57€ and the babysitter is aged between 17 and 67, the pension fee must be paid of the whole amount paid to the babysitter.
  • The babysitter’s part of the pension fee payment is either 7,15% (babysitters aged 17–52 and aged 63-67) or 8,65% (babysitters aged 53–62). The babysitter’s part of the pension fee can be subtracted from the payment given to the babysitter.

Families must deduct 0,79% of unemployment insurance contribution from all carers aged 18 to 64 years. On the basis of the information entered in the income register, the family receives an invoice for unemployment insurance, if the salary is over 1400€ per year. When family has made the report the unemployment insurance fund will send an invoice considering unemployment insurance contribution. Family will pay employers part 0,27% and carers part 0,79%.

For more information on unemployment insurance contribution check Employment Fund’s website (link at the bottom of this page) or call the customer service tel. 075 757 0500.

The babysitters are responsible for paying their taxes and for getting a liability insurance.

Visit Palkka.fi website for easier payments and other notifications (link can be found at the bottom of this page).

Statutory accident insurance for employees must be taken if a family pays more than 1400€ per year for employers. You can consult insurance companies and choose the right insurance cover for your family. This insurance is taken out on a calendar year basis and covers all babysitters that work for the family.

  • Families must allow sufficient time to get acquainted with the babysitter beforehand and must provide clear guidance in matters relating to the care of the children.
  • Child care is generally provided at the family’s home or at another appropriate location.
  • It is the family’s responsibility to give any medication to the child. If medication absolutely must be given to a child while the babysitter is looking after the child, the family must provide the babysitter with clear written instructions on how the medication is to be administered.
  • Babysitters cannot drive the children in the family’s car. If a babysitter is to drive children in the babysitter’s own car, this must be agreed in writing.
  • If a babysitter finishes work late in the evening or at night (after 11pm), the babysitter must be taken home safely, either by giving him/her a lift or by paying for a taxi.

You can find the list of areas in Finland and contacts where we offer MLL babysitter services by clicking below.

NB Search your area by filling “Hae välityspiste” -field. If you are a new user, register by clicking “Rekisteröidy käyttäjäksi” below your chosen area. Registered users can order a babysitter directly by clicking “Tilaa hoitaja”. Registering and ordering are done in a web service where you

Find a babysitter by clicking here

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